At the East Side Neighborhood Community Action meeting held on November 6th The New Britain Mayor Timothy Stewart made an excellent presentation with his making the positive future outlook of expected services. However, with all the good changes he touched upon he sadly explained that the city was experiencing less income from its investments citing that he will not hire to fill existing vacancies at city hall and may have to go to a shorter work week for our workers because we cannot do a layoff. He said that we need each and every employee for their expertise.
Recognizing that half of the fiscal budget year has passed us by and no changes in the regular operation has ever been announced publicly.
Could it be that the Democratic Majority leadership is avoiding facing this deep adversity of the current financial crisis that the city is facing by their not going along with our Mayor’s intentions to lead us through the very difficult times.
New Haven has done that exact approach by implementing a furlough procedure.
When can the Mayor, who was elected to lead, be allowed to lead us?
If the dirty baker's dozen can't manage a golf course contract how can they expect to manage the entire city budget? They were clueless when they didn't have the political courage to override the Mayor's proposed budget last past summer.
ReplyDeleteOver the years they conveniently disposed of all business minded moderate democrats and replaced them with government dependent council members.
"Leadership" means making the "tough" decisions and not sticking together to oppose EVERYTHING Mayor Stewart attempts to propose.
And a tough decision doesn't mean which BOE member to vote for even if the selection was rigged for the start.
Sometimes the city does take precedence over typical New Britain politics.
The Mayor mentioned he was going to reduce the work week at city hall, but hasn't done anything yet. I saw on the news recently that Mayor DiStefano has shut down New Haven City Hall on Fridays. He was touting a huge savings in energy costs and the reduction of staffing costs as the reason, so if it can work for New Haven, why not New Britain?
ReplyDeleteMayor Stewart would be able to demonstrate what a great leader he is if his hands weren't constantly tied by the whacked out Democrats on the council.
ReplyDeleteNew Haven is also now collecting 95% of their motor vehicle taxes after implementing the boot. We still haven't seen the actual amount owed to our tax office on car taxes? I think it was Phil Sherwood that reported through an earlier blog that he was checking on that number. This city needs to
ReplyDeletestart sharpening it's pencil before
the mill rate goes through the roof.
With the newly re-appointed expertise of Ms. Jacobs back on the BOE maybe we can begin budget
ReplyDeletesavings by eliminating our superintendent of schools salary.
A three day school week might help with the penny pinching. Tues/Wed/Thurs. This would leave nice long weekends for "going
ReplyDeletehome". The heat can be turned down
4 days in a row in the school buildings. Catered Friday lunches could be cancelled. The benefits are endless.
A word for the democrat that left an adverse meesage on my answering machine suggesting that I should change party.
ReplyDeletePlease be advised that I plan to stay and be my usual pain.
Thank you for your advise!
frank smith
Frank- be careful, you know the NB Democrats don't like people that disagree. That is not allowed. They will tell you how to think, feel and vote. Especially if you are an elected official....
ReplyDeleteFrank,
ReplyDeleteThey loved you when you were whacking Stewart & Salvio. Now they don't?
You must be getting close to the truth!
The truth hurts and communists are all the same, if you dare to disagree, they will try to silence you!
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% with you Frank about allowing the Mayor to be the leader the voters elected him to be. I have total confidence in his ability to lead New Britain in our future endeavors and would only suggest that he lead according to wisdom and not foolishness.
ReplyDeleteA good leader must lead. He must be able to stand out in front and encourage others to willingly follow his leadership. Only a butcher drives…
A wise leader inspires enthusiasm in those whom he leads while a foolish leader instills fear in those who dare to think differently than he.
A wise leader is honest and respectful to others while a foolish leader can care less of what he said, promised or lead others to believe.
A wise leader masters self-control and especially his own tongue and doesn’t use inappropriate language in the presence of women and children. A foolish leader has a demeanor of a rabid pit-bull no matter who is near.
A wise leader knows the value of those who are honest and truthful enough to tell him their views and ideas even if it goes against his own ideas. He celebrates the diversities in others, understanding that this is where real strength in a community resides. A foolish leader can care less about anyone except himself.
New Britain has had their share of foolish leaders in the past and what New Britain really needs is a wise leader who is willing to lead without the childish games of others attempting to thwart the forward progress of our great city.
To those who are getting in the way of making New Britain the best city it can be, not only for our todays but also for our children’s tomorrows, please allow me to give you a bit of sound advice. If you can do no good, then the least you can do is, do no evil.
Honest, Respectful, a wise leader? are we talking about the Mayor of New Britain or Fantasy Land.
ReplyDeleteNo question that Tim Stewart is a very good mayor. He has tremendous difficulty with the aldermen brought on through district voting and the left wing loonies who try to bring him down.
ReplyDeleteOn his part, he should get rid of his arrogance and develop an appreciation for others who have tried their best to serve the city.
In other words, get over yourself, Tim. You are sadly losing loyal supporters.
The more the truth emerges, the nastier these left wing loons on the council get!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWasn't Phil Sherwood promising to get back to us with data about how much in car taxes remains unpaid?
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be one of the most heavily guarded secrets of the century. For someone who is so supportive of freedom of information, Alderman Sherwood is not very forthcoming with information, is he. Just one more of his promises he has failed to keep.
To those who are getting in the way of making New Britain the best city it can be, not only for our todays but also for our children’s tomorrows, please allow me to give you a bit of sound advice. If you can do no good, then the least you can do is, do no evil.
ReplyDeleteTHIS WOULD BE VERY SOUND ADVICE FOR THE DEMOCRATS ON THE COUNCIL WHO ARE DOING EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO TURN THIS CITY UPSIDE DOWN!
Attn: Phil Sherwood,
ReplyDeletePhil, We are waiting for you to tell us the outstanding
unpaid motor vehicle taxes. I don't know if this is a guarded secret or whether this just amounts
to procrastination. Now that your
done courting republicans for the BOE, what's the tax number? Call them up, issue a FOI however you need to do it you said you were going to find out. It's been a couple of months that we have been
waiting.
The largest tax revenue comes from residential and commercial real estate. The much smaller percentage of revenue from car taxes however is an across the board tax to all residents who choose to register vehicles to addresses in the city. This is a good thing. This is the only investment that renters who use our city's services pay into. For example the school budget, emergency response, police, fire etc.It is probable that most of the delinquent car taxes pertain to non-real estate property owners. Are we letting them off the hook because these funds are simply un-collectable, would it cost us too much to try to collect. What tone
ReplyDeleteare we setting for those who choose
to ignore the bill or have found ways to skirt the system. Why should some get away with avoiding
paying taxes. Govenor Rell had
proposed eliminating automobile property taxes altogether but that
failed at the capitol. The amount of revenue to cities and towns was too great a loss. What is the percentage of revenue in New Britain and how much money is outstanding to date?
To say that the car taxes are noncollectable is ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteNew Haven is collecting 98% of all car taxes, the highest compliance rate in the entire state!
All you have to do is start seizing cars for unpaid taxes the way New Haven is doing, and then just the threat of losing their cars will have them waiting in line to pay their back taxes, just like New Haven, and for those who don't pay, their car is seized and if they fail to bail it out, it is sold at public auction with the proceeds going to the City of New Britain.
If you can't pay your taxes, then don't own a car. That is what CT Transit if for!
To The Thorn,
ReplyDeleteMany un-paid car taxes belong to people who simply "moved away" and
cannot be located? this is what I'm
told anyway. Others register their
cars under other names to avoid paying taxes?
You are correct about New Haven. When the boot went into effect lines to pay-up were out the door.
Yes, we have all heard about some
mistakes in the news and unfortunate people getting "booted"
but is seems the city of New Haven
is collecting at nearly full percentage.
Is it worth it for New Britain's budget? we will understand better when Alderman Sherwood gets back with the "outstanding information"
Apparently Alderman Sherwood is having trouble getting the combination to the vault where this so highly guarded political secret is kept! It must be so abysmal that the politicians are ashamed to let us know how incompetent they have been in collecting our taxes.
ReplyDeleteCall The Tax Collector's Office.
ReplyDeleteSee if they have any idea.
Many un-paid car taxes belong to people who simply "moved away" and
ReplyDeletecannot be located? this is what I'm
told anyway. Others register their
cars under other names to avoid paying taxes?
in response:
Moving away will not accomplish anything for long, because if you owe motor vehicle taxes to any municipality, you are blocked forever from ever registering a motor vehicle in your name in Connecticut until you pay your back taxes and bring a tax collector's release to the motor vehicle department.
They are more likely just driving them around unregistered or transferring the ownership to other names.
Driving them around unregistered will eventually fix itself when the police catch up with them, but currently there is nothing we can do about people selling the car to a relative to avoid the taxes.
We could work with the legislature to close that loophole by making the taxes a lien on the vehicle the same way property taxes become a lien on your real estate. This would prevent the sale of the vehicle until the unpaid taxes are satisfied. You could even carry it further by allowing the cancellation of registrations due to unpaid taxes. This would allow the police to impound vehicles whose registrations are canceled for overdue taxes similar to the way C.G.S. 14-12h allows the cancellation and impoundment of vehicles that have canceled insurance. 14-12h makes the vehicle the property of the motor vehicle commissioner after 30 days, the new law could transfer ownership to the municipal tax collector and allow it to be sold at public auction.
I believe this would be the fix that would have everyone in the state paying their property taxes, because of the threat of being pulled over anywhere you go and your car seized, or having your car seized anytime you park it somewhere.
A report in today’s New London Day newspaper states that The Journal Register Company who owns the New Britain Herald that it is closing many of their weeklies in our state.
ReplyDeleteIt is very sad that the local readership will be experiencing the loss of their news source.
It is hopeful that the local business owners will at least attempt to re-establish this important local news and inexpensive advertising source.
Maybe the State officials should be involved in finding a purchaser as they are with their attempts in accomplishing the very same results for the Bristol Press and the New Britain Herald.
Subject: The Saga of Court Hearings on Municipal Code of Ethics....?
ReplyDeleteThe Government Elections and Administration Committee took a step forward toward eradicating political corruption at the municipal level when it approved a bill that would force all Cities and Towns (like New Britain)to adopt a code of ethics by 2007.
The substitute bill calls for municipalities to establish procedures to investigate allegations of misconduct by its public officials, public employees, and paid consultants.
The state has yet to pass its own contract reform package. The General Assembly has passed legislation toward that end three times, but Governor M. Jodi Rell vetoed all three attempts. State Rep. Christopher Caruso, [D-Bridgeport], said that municipalities, like the state, routinely award multi-million dollar contracts and in most towns there is no process for the public to address the behavior of public officials.
Two Glastonbury residents, Karen Emerick and Dana Evans, know what Rep. Caruso means all too well. They were in Hartford Superior Court filing writs of mandamus to enforce their legal rights. Since 2003, Emerick and Evans have been asking the Glastonbury Ethics Commission to specify how the public may initiate complaints alleging a violation of code, or how the public might request access to the commission's advisory opinions.
They say they have yet to receive an answer, though Karen Emerick says she was told on one occasion, in letter from the ethics commission chairperson, that the commission would not accept complaints directly from the public. Evans said she had wanted information on a code that would allow public officials to represent a developer and others doing business in the town, but was told advisory opinions are not for the public. If it becomes law, the substitute bill approved by the committee today will change that.
After filing and winning numerous state Freedom of Information Commission complaints and non-compliance actions against the Glastonbury Ethics Commission, Emerick and Evans said they felt they had exhausted all other avenues.
After filing the writ, Emerick said there should be a regional ethics commission, so that people on the commission do not hear cases from residents in their own town. She said she would support a statewide ethics code that doesn’t require public officials to disclose the contents of their bank accounts, but they would have to disclose all financial interests in property and list the names of their limited liability companies and private employers.
The substitute House bill that the committee approved prohibits public officials and public employees from representing private interests against the interests of their employer municipality, and closes the loophole in the revolving door policy so public officials can't take jobs with private companies that do business with the town.
Before it can become law, the bill still must be approved by the House, the Senate, and Governor Rell. Susan G. Kniep, former East Hartford mayor and President of The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayers Organization (FCTO) said that every time a public official writes a local ethics code for a town so that in the future he may, as an elected or former official, do business with the town - then the taxpayer again loses his/her shirt.
Without strong ethics laws on a local level, common sense tells you that local elected officials cannot and will not police their own, said Susan Kniep, President FCTO.
Posted by Anonymous to Frank Smith Says NB at December 24, 2008 8:18 PM